gewgaw.

A small showy object valued for ornament but regarded as having little worth or practical use.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a glittering gewgaw
• cheap gewgaws
• decorative gewgaws

On the page

He offered her a glittering gewgaw from the market stall.

The mantel was crowded with souvenirs and brightly painted gewgaws.

Usage notes

Primary category: literary / elevated prose. Lexical Type: Word. Forms: Singular gewgaw or geegaw; plural gewgaws or geegaws. Commonness: uncommon (editorial estimate; not a corpus frequency statistic). Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1; numbered fields keep each relevant meaning separate. Research distinction: Direct dictionary reading: showy trifle, bauble or trinket of little worth; less common variant geegaw. No inherent fragility or assumed material added. Variant is not a second canonical entry. Individual usefulness checked for a precise literary, narrative, dialogue or critical function. Definitions and examples are original; commonness is an editorial estimate. Mood and intensity apply only to inherent qualities of the specific sense. Writing functions: dismissing a small showy object as trivial, decorative clutter and doubtful value.